The Dragon of Trelian Read Online Free PDF Page A

over, and Calen waited, strangely exhausted. And also strangely exhilarated. When he looked at the cards now, they seemed only static images. But during the reading it had been different — they’d been like living things, flush with meaning and power. They’d been . . . almost talking to him. It had been frightening in parts, true — but he wanted to experience that feeling again.
    “Well, Calen,” Serek said, finally. His voice had lost its soft cadence and was back to its normal brusqueness. “There’s no doubt you’ve got a talent for this. I saw some of the same things in my earlier readings, but not nearly so completely. Once we’re done with potions, we’ll come back to divination in your studies, beginning at the beginning this time, of course, and start to explore your ability more thoroughly. Well done.”
    Calen tried hard not to stare. He did feel he had done well, but Serek hardly ever admitted that anything his apprentice did met, let alone exceeded, his expectations. Calen felt the beginnings of a smile touch his lips.
Well done,
he thought. Then he realized that Serek had scooped up a few books and started for the door.
    Calen twisted around the chair. “But — where are you going? Aren’t you going to tell me what all this means?”
    Serek seemed surprised by the question. “No,” he said. “I’m not. If you’re so thirsty for knowledge, get back to work on your potions assignment. I should be back by late evening, and you can show me your progress then.”
    “What?”
Calen heard his tone edging toward what he knew Serek would consider disrespectful, but he couldn’t help it. “After everything I saw, you’re going to walk out and not give me any idea what it means or what’s going to happen? You just said I saw more in the cards than you did, and now you’re not even going to —”
    Serek turned slowly back around, and Calen knew he had gone too far.
    “Listen,
Apprentice,
” Serek snarled. “You would do well to remember who is the master here and who is nothing but a willful boy who yearns to rise above his station but lacks the discipline, drive, and quite possibly the intelligence to ever do so. The meanings of the cards are for me to discuss with King Tormon and Queen Merilyn and are none of your concern. Yes, you might have a talent for divination. Yes, you managed to read the cards this afternoon. But that doesn’t mean you have anything close to the wisdom or maturity to translate those meanings into a useful context, and I am not going to waste my time explaining things to you that you don’t need to know. Certainly not when the kingdom would be far better served by my quick progress to the royal chambers so that men and women of knowledge and power can make the necessary decisions to avert impending disaster.”
    After a final contemptuous glare, Serek stalked out and slammed the door behind him.
    Calen stared sullenly after him. “
That
seemed uncalled for,” he muttered. After seeing all those cards about danger and death, it didn’t seem unreasonable for him to want to know what it all meant, did it? Stupid mages and their arrogant tempers. For a moment Serek had actually seemed pleased with him, but Calen should have known that would never last. He sighed angrily and pushed back from the desk. He lacked discipline and drive, did he? And
intelligence
? Fine. He’d do his stupid potions assignment. He’d do it right now, and let Serek try to find one thing wrong with it, just one —
    Calen’s thoughts broke off as his eyes fell across the Erylun book, still sitting open on the desk.
    Sitting open, in fact, to a chapter on spirit cards.
    Calen sank slowly back into the chair and smiled. Perhaps it was time for a little independent study. Perhaps Serek would discover that his apprentice had a little drive after all.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!
    Meg kicked open the wooden door at the top of the stairs, slamming it back against the wall, not thinking